Macedonia Detains Skipper of Sunken Sightseeing Boat that Killed 15

Authorities in Macedonia say they have detained the skipper of an overloaded sightseeing boat that sank on Saturday, killing 15 Bulgarian tourists.

Officials say the skipper, Sotir Filevski, was ordered held for 30 days pending an investigation into the deadly tragedy.

Macedonian investigators say they are looking into reports that something may have cracked or snapped at the back of the boat before it began to sink.

They say that overloading of the 85-year-old boat also could have caused the accident. Investigators say the boat was not designed to carry more than 40-45 passengers, but more than 55 people were onboard when it sank.

The sightseeing boat was filled with Bulgarian tourists when it went down suddenly on Lake Ohrid Saturday, killing at least 15 people, including one child. Four other passengers were seriously injured.

Macedonia declared Sunday a day of mourning.

Lake Ohrid is the deepest lake in the Balkans and a popular Macedonian tourist attraction. It is located along Macedonia's southwestern border with Albania.

According to Macedonia's tourism Internet site, the lake is 30 kilometers long and 288 meters deep. It is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization world heritage site.

The tour boat was about 200 meters from the shore when it went down. Witnesses say local residents rushed out onto the lake with their own boats to help rescue survivors.

Transportation Minister Mile Janakievski said he is submitting his resignation because of the incident.